Rotator valve cap clearance checking tool



July 31, 1951 e. M. GRAHAM ROTATOR VALVE CAP CLEARANCE CHECKING TOOL Filed June 25, 1949 INVENTOR. Gzewa: M fi/PA HAM BY @zutn'PM/ t Patented July 31, 1951 UNIT-ED STATES flop ies ROTATOR VALVE oAr CLEARANCE CHECKING TOOL I George M. Graham; Detroit, Mich assignor to Kent-Moore Organization, 1110., Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan i Application June 25, 1949,.Serial-No.- 101,415

. 2 Glaims. (61. 33-181) This invention relates. to. an improved rotator valve cap clearance checking tool.

Valve assemblies are coming into use on' motor vehicles wherein. the valve is so constructed and actuated that there is an interval duringits functioning when its free rotation is permitted. This i accomplished by providing a valve cap n the valve stemv which cap is supported with a valve. spring to be spaced a limited distance above the end of the valvestem so that when the actuatin mechanism, whether cam, rocker arm, or the like, engages the. cap to actuate the valve there is a short interval during which the cap alone responds to this actuation before the'stem of the valve is subjected to such actuation. Dur-' ing this interval the valve is free to rotate.

The permitted clearance between the valve and the stem when the cap is held by the spring above the end of the stem is carefully calibrated. The tool of this application is designed to be used to measure such clearance.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a tool which is simple, inexpensive, easily operated and adaptable to receive and measure the clearances of a large number of different valve stem assemblies. In other words, the tool is useable with valves from different engine makes and models. The tool is also designed for use in service stations by service station employees without any special training and with only the standard equipment provided in such shops.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious fea tures will more fully appear from the following description, claims and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partl broken away showing my improved valve cap clearance checking tool in use at the beginning of a checking operation;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section showing my improved valve cap clearance checking tool in use checking the valve cap clearance and at the end of the checking operation; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

As hereinabove set forth this tool is designed to check the permitted clearance of the valve cap with respect to the end of the valve stem upon which it is seated on those valves where rotator valve caps are provided. In the drawing a valve i shown in dotted outline. Such valve is provided with a valve stem Ill. This valve stem is cut away as at [4 providing a tapered seat for a keeper it which surrounds the valve stem and is adapted to rest upon the tapered seat l4. A spring retainer I8 is provided. This spring retainer encircles the keeper I61 and has a flange portion 20 which is engaged underneath thev keeper It to lift the same. The sprin retainer' I8 is in the form of a washer-like member and. as is well understood rests upon the upper end ofia coil spring which encircles the valve stem and the lower end of which bears against a partof the engine housing to hold the valve upwardly. Such spring is not shown in the drawings because in the drawings the valve is shown as dismounted from the engine.

A cup-shaped capZZ is received freely' over the end of the valve stem resting upon the-keeper Hi. In use this cap is held down by the valve actuating part whatever it may be. It will be noted that when the keeper and spring retainer are elevated so that the keeper engages the shoulder on the valve stem that surmounts the tapered seat [4, the cap is raised above the nd of the stem providing a clearance 24, as shown in Fig. 1.

The clearance 24 is that clearance which this tool is designed to measure. The distance to be measured is the space between the bottom of the cap and the end of the stem.

My tool comprises a U-shaped frame 26 the back of which may be flat to be received within the jaws of a vise, one jaw of which is illustrated broken away as at 28. This frame 26 has an upper arm 3!] which carries a micrometer gage assembly 32. This, micrometer gage is of conventional construction.

The lower arm 34 of the U-frame exhibits a gage block portion 36 which is provided with a face wherein a V-groove 38 is formed. This l -groove is designed to provide a seat for the Valve stem l0 as shown in the figures of the drawing. The V-groove is so shaped that it will seat valve stems which differ in diameter.

The lower arm 34 has a portion 40 which extends outwardly beyond the end of the gage block 36 and has a part 42 which overhangs in spaced relation the face of the gage block 36. An adjustment retaining screw 44 is threaded through the part 42 and is adjustable to engage a valve stem to hold it snugly against the V-seat of the gage block. As shown in Fig. 3, the end of this screw 44 is provided with a contact ball is held outwardly by a spring 48 so as to yieldingly engage the valve stem. The engagement of the ball in the end of the screw with the stem of the valve may be such that the valve may be held upon the V-seat by the spring pressed ball screw and yet may be sufiiciently free that the stem 3 can be moved lengthwise between the ball and the V-groove seat.

This is in order that a valve may be placed upon the V-seat and the screw tightened down sufficiently to hold the valve in place. The operator then lifts the valve cap by lifting the valve spring retainer plate [6 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1 and continues lifting the valve stem until the cap is brought into contact with the micrometer 32. Such micrometer gage will have been set at zero. The screw 44 is then tightened further until it seats at its end directly against the stem so as to hold the valve securely at this position of adjustment.

In order to check the clearance the head of the micrometer is then threaded downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2. The distance traversed is read on the micrometer scale and this represents the clearance of the valve cap.

What I claim is:

1. A rotatable valve cap clearance checking tool comprising, in combination, an F-shaped frame, a micrometer gauge carried by the upper arm of the frame and reciprocatingly adjustable with respect to the intermediate arm of the frame, the intermediate arm having a face provided with a V-shaped recess disposed substantially in line with the micrometer gauge and adapted to provide a seat for a valve stem, said intermediate arm having an offset portion extending outwardly beyond the V-shaped recess and having a part overhanging and spaced outwardly beyond said V-shaped recess, a retaining screw threadedly adjustable through the overhanging part of the intermediate arm toward and away from the V-shaped recess, and a spring-urged valve stem contact member carried by the contact end of said screw.

2. The invention as described in claim 1 characterized in the provision of an L-shaped part mounted upon the intermediate arm offset one side of the V-shaped recess, the free leg of which part overhangs and is spaced outwardly from the V-shaped recessed face of said arm, and a retaining screw threaded through the free leg of the L-shaped part adjustable inwardly and outwardly with respect to the V-shaped recessed face of the intermediate arm, and said contact memberis in the form of a spring-loaded ball pressure foot.

GEORGE M. GRAHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,149,469 Schilling Aug. 10, 1915 1,304,986 Kassler May 27, 1919 1,602,292 Walden Oct. 5, 1926 1,784,377 Moore Dec. 9, 1930 2,104,234 Linne Jan. 4, 1938 2,105,502 Pointer Jan. 18, 1938 2,107,558 Zimmerman Feb. 8, 1938 2,444,136 Leasure June 29, 1948 OTHER REFERENCES American Machinist, Magazine, Jan. 1, 1948, page 106. 

